Of Philosophers and Fools
by Isis Lied
Summary: AU She just wanted to prove that humans and vampires could coexist. He just wanted an easy meal. Despite their conflicting philosophies can something be born from the meeting of an arrogant pureblood and a naive human girl? Only the stars can tell. Rido/OC
1. Chapter 1- Counting Stars

Of Philosophers and Fools  
Summary: AU She just wanted to prove that humans and vampires could coexist. He just wanted an easy meal. Despite their conflicting philosophies can something be born from the meeting of an arrogant pureblood and a naive human girl? Only the stars can tell.  
Rido/OC

Genre: Tragedy, Romance

A/N: Alright guys, this is my first story that has involved an OC, ever! It's a bit nerve-wracking but I hope you'll love her as much as I do ^^ alright, all you need to know is that in this universe Haruka and Juuri have traveled elsewhere without Rido. Rido's been pretty much wandering with little purpose, killing people here and there, not really looking for his siblings. The setting of the story will be similar to what was shown in Ancestor!Kaname's arc/past so imagine a lot of small villages and sand :P oh, and Rido may appear a tiny bit OOC cause he hasn't gone completely crazy yet, so he's still somewhat same in this story. Emphasis on somewhat XD

Disclaimer: All I own is my OC. VK is property of Matsuri Hino.

Chapter 1- Counting Stars

* * *

"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves."  
-William Shakespeare

* * *

The days had blended so neatly together that the pureblood could not recall how many sunsets had passed. Even now, under the heavy silence of the night, his mind could not piece together the nights before.

He could feel dried blood against his chin and under his nails as well as the buzz of strength that followed a night of feeding, but the memories were quickly fading. It was as if centuries had passed in his aimless wandering instead of mere days.

The pureblood continued forward, clenching his fists at his sides as he walked. His mind drifted to the past he could remember, gritting his teeth in pent up anger. _Juuri, Haruka... what would you two think of me now?_

His beloved siblings had abandoned him to live together on their own, leaving the man bitter and alone. At first he cursed them, searching for the pair in a mad haste for revenge. His anger had dulled considerably over the years that followed, however, and now merely stewed whenever his thoughts drifted to his siblings. If he were to be completely honest with himself, he wished only to see them again.

Perhaps that is why he acted out, leaving a trail of bodies wherever he went in a twisted way to get their attention. Surely after enough deaths they would come searching for him, right?

Somehow, the question left a sour taste in his mouth.

Rido suddenly tasted sand against his tongue and swallowed bitterly, heterochromia eyes turned to the ground. To his right he saw a side-winder slithering across the dune, orange scales nearly blending in with the sand. It left 'w' shaped marks in its wake, trying to burrow into the cooling sand before the sun rose.

Whether it was due to boredom or anger, the brunette picked up the snake, watching with mild interest as the reptile futilely squirmed in his grip. The snake hissed wildly, fangs trying to find purchase in his skin. Rido chuckled, intent on setting the little vermin on fire.

"Sorry, friend, but I do the biting. It's never the other way around."

Just as he was about to set the poor creature on fire, a small pebble collided with the back of his head. He unceremoniously dropped the snake, turning to glare at the fool stupid enough to attack him. The side-winder slithered away, but not before taking its revenge on its captor by biting into his ankle while he was distracted.

The vampire let out an ungraceful howl of surprise, trying to stamp on the creature that had stealthily burrowed into the sand.

"P-please stop that, sir! You're scaring the snake!" A timid voice spoke just as another pebble lodged itself in his messy dark hair.

"And who are you to ask me such a request? Don't you know what I am, little girl?" He sneered, taking a few steps towards the petite woman.

Even without the light of the moon he could easily make out her appearance. The woman had short, messy black hair that barely reached her shoulders. It curled against her cheeks, framing her heart shaped face and topaz eyes. There was a faint trace of a scar on the bridge of her nose. Her eyebrows were furrowed as if she were in great contemplation, a single olive hand pressed against her chin.

"I am Itzel Crown. And I only think it's fair that you tell me your name as well, because without it this wouldn't be a proper greeting. Although, I guess throwing rocks at you wouldn't really be considered proper either..."

The pureblood quirked an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his handsome features. "Fair enough, I guess. I am Rido Kuran, pureblood vampire. It's a pleasure to eat you— I mean meet you. Wait, actually I meant what I said first."

The raven-haired girl cocked her head to the side. "That's pretty rude, isn't it? I appreciate your honesty, though. I hate liars the most."

"Really? From the number of rocks you threw at me I thought you just really hated vampires. Not that I'd expect any different from a human."

She crossed her arms, sighing. "I actually think vampires and humans can coexist. That's why I approached you in the first place."

In a dark blur the vampire was upon her, pushing the girl into the sand with a hand pressed against her throat. "Don't make me laugh. Humans are livestock, nothing more. Your arrogance is getting on my fucking nerves. Do you think I won't kill you just because you have a pretty face?" He growled, tightening his grip around her neck. He could feel her pulse beat wildly against him and smirked at the thought of her blood running down his throat.

"Have you tried? I mean genuinely tried to get along with a human? I think you'd learn more from a human than a cow, anyway." She replied calmly, the only hint of fear coming from her yellow eyes.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I have a proposition for you, Rido. I'll travel with you as long as you 'try' not to kill me. Think of it as an experiment to test both of our beliefs." She pushed lightly against his chest, surprised to find that he had loosened his grip from her neck. He reluctantly pulled away, allowing the petite woman to sit up.

They both sat in the sand, the pureblood looking away in silence.

"So...?" Itzel started, still unsure if the man would snap in an instant and kill her. He abruptly stood up, dusting sand off of his coat. She watched his retreating figure as he walked to the top of a sand dune.

"Well? Are you coming or not?" He snapped, a perpetual frown on his face.

"A-alright!" She gave a wide grin, chatting animatedly as the vampire walked on.

The curly haired man lead the pair further into the desert, mulling about his spontaneous decision in his head. He didn't understand why he was sparing this simple human girl. He could have eaten her and been done with, but, somehow, here she was, very much alive and well. _I did it out of boredom, that's all. Eventually she'll outgrow her usefulness and I will kill her. Humans and vampires will never be able to coexist. It's a fool's dream.  
_  
"So, Rido, why do you think vampires appeared?" Itzel questioned suddenly, tugging lightly on the sleeve of his coat.

He sighed, keeping his eyes forward. "You sure know how to ask questions that will get you killed, I'll give you that. I never thought of it, really. I just thought vampires had to appear. Like it was written in the stars or something." Rido replied honestly.

The raven-haired girl giggled lightly. He gave her a questioning look to which she laughed some more. "S-sorry! You just sounded so much like a philosopher there! It's surprising. I guess I always thought vampires existed. I mean, not in the traditional, blood-sucking sense. But, there have always been people who are greedy and selfish, stealing from the weak and the poor with little afterthought. Now we have beings that embody these traits. Not to say vampires are naturally evil— more like cursed in a sense. They are given immortality at a price."

The pureblood snorted. "Don't tell me you feel sympathy for my kind? It will only get you killed."

She gave a soft smile. "Probably. But, I tend to trust people until they do something that makes me think otherwise."

"That's pretty foolish, kid. In the end, the only person you can trust is yourself. One day your own family might even betray you." He said bitterly, not taking his eyes away from the rolling dunes.

She turned back, looking at the pair of tracks they had made in the sand. The wind was already blurring away the foot prints, as if they had never walked there at all. As if they had never existed.

"...I have a name, you know." She finally responded, a hint of annoyance in her tone.

"Well, I think kid suits you just fine."

"If I said I liked the nickname you would have started to call me Itzel, wouldn't you?"

He smirked. "You catch on quick... kid."

Itzel sighed, pulling away an annoying strand of hair from over her eye. She subconsciously scratched at the scar on her nose, head tipped to the sky.

"Say, Rido… what do you think about stars?"

"Boring. After a couple centuries they become nothing but a nuisance. I would prefer if there was no light at all during the night, it would make my meals easier."

She pouted lightly, staring up into the man's devious eyes. "Then only vampires could enjoy the night! I love it! When I know that the stars are still up there, despite everything that's happened to the world, I feel a little bit safer. Like they're watching over all of the earth to assure us that we're not alone. It's like for a moment everything lasts forever, because that star doesn't fade immediately. It may twinkle and disappear behind the clouds, but it will come back the next night and the night after that. And, somehow, it gives me hope. Hope that just as the clouds and the stars can share the same sky, humans and vampires can share the earth too."

"You really are like a philosopher, kid. Dreaming up all of that droll, it's only gonna disappoint you in the end. What is keeping the stars from lighting up the sky entirely, or for the clouds to smother out the glow of the stars? What is keeping the two races from killing one another?"

The topaz-eyed girl paused in her steps, bowing her head. "That's why I believe in hope. I know it's foolish to think that way—everyone in the village thought I was a fool too, but I don't want any more wars. Why is peace so difficult to attain? Don't we all just want to _live_?"

Rido turned around to face her, eyes narrowed. "Aren't you forgetting something? For vampires to live humans _have _to die. For the predator to live the prey must die."

"…No. I don't believe that. Somehow, someday, I think someone will find a way to save both of the races. I may not live long enough to see it, but I believe it will happen with all my heart." She finished, voice wavering.

The pureblood walked forward only to see that the girl was rooted to the spot. Hissing slightly, he pulled at her arm, barking out angrily, "Then come on! Standing there isn't going to change anything. You wanted to show me that humans and vampires can coexist, right? Well, you're doing a pretty shitty job right now. If anything, I've never felt more of a desire to kill someone before."

Itzel allowed herself to be dragged a few feet until she noticed the dried blood under the vampire's sharp nails. "Hey, I forgot to mention this before, but you have blood under your nails and chin." She wrinkled her nose in disgust as the vampire chuckled.

"Of course, where are my manners?" He jeered, wiping the blood off of his lips with the back of his hand.

"Better?" He sneered, amused by her obviously repulsed response.

"Just peachy." Itzel said, looking a little bit nauseous. _What have I gotten myself into now?_

* * *

After a few more hours of wandering, the pair finally made it to the outskirts of a small town. The sun was just peaking above the horizon as the two stepped into a shabby looking inn. An elderly woman smiled at the pair warmly, resting her arms on the wooden desk as the two approached.

"Welcome! It's great to see such young lovers nowadays, what with the threat of vampires looming! Now, what can I do for you two?"

"Actually, we're not—"

"We would like a room, please." Rido interrupted, purposefully giving a fanged grin.

Unfortunately for him, the elderly woman did not notice his blatant threat and merely procured a key from the key rack.

"Your room is the last one on the right. Have a nice rest of your morning!"

Itzel bowed, a light blush dusting her cheeks. _Lovers, of all the absurdity..._

She quickly followed after the man who had already made his way into the room. Through the doorway she could already see the brunette taking off his coat, heterochromia eyes turning to the girl.

"It is morning and I am quite tired. I do not have the luxury of toting around a coffin wherever I go, but this bed will suffice. If you wake me it will be a long and painful death." He finished, sitting down on the edge of the small bed to take off his shoes.

Itzel nodded, closing the door behind her. The vampire immediately burrowed underneath the covers, using his powers to swipe the curtains closed. Minutes passed in silence until the girl was sure he was asleep, light snores escaping his lips.

The topaz-eyed woman stood around awkwardly, still resting her back against the wall. _What a jerk. He could have at least requested two beds..._

She sighed, walking towards the green armchair. She eventually became comfortable, laying her head against the back before falling asleep. Despite the change in sleep cycles, the girl somehow managed to adjust.

The pureblood woke with a hunger. Eyes completely adjusted to the dark, he got up from the bed, stalking towards the nearest blood source. Her scent tickled his nose teasingly as he placed his hands on the armchair, both eyes now a dark crimson.

She smelled almost sickeningly sweet, like that of a field of sunflowers. He moved a few loose locks away from her neck, letting his cold fingertips brush against her warm skin. He could hear the blood coursing through her veins with every heartbeat, calling to him. Just as his fangs touched the side of her neck he stilled, fingers ripping into the fabric of the chair. He had never had to control his feedings before and even now it felt very foreign and unfamiliar to stop just before his fangs pierced the skin.

Reluctantly, Rido pulled away, a frown beginning to form. It was no fun to kill someone in their sleep. He needed a reaction, to see the life drain away from his victim's eyes. Yes, he would wait until she blindly trusted him for his betrayal. Who knew, it might even make her blood taste sweeter...

With this thought in mind, he picked up the girl, carefully depositing her onto the bed. Placing the covers over her, he stared one final time at the slender column of her neck. _For this betrayal to work, I need to show some semblance of kindness. Cruelty will only make her blood taste bitter._

Then, the monster was gone, the door clicking behind him softly as he disappeared into the corridor.

Itzel opened her eyes, a sly grin on her face. _Congratulations, Rido Kuran, it seems you've passed the first test. At least now I don't have to worry about sleeping with a stake or something._

* * *

A/N: Alright, prologue done! I hope you guys liked it; hopefully it wasn't too boring :3 Sorry that this chap was a bit dialogue heavy, I just needed to flesh out Itzel's personality ^^' The reason why Itzel believes in pacifism and why she was out in the desert will eventually be explained, so stay tuned! Ah, Itzel's such a dreamer. I wonder how long Rido can deal with her optimistic attitude before he snaps XD And I think Rido totally has a sense of humor (albeit very twisted and morbid—but a sense of humor, nevertheless) As usual, reviews are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

P.S if you can guess what 'Itzel' means (and no cheating guys!) you'll get a virtual cookie. And a hug ^^ there have been hints throughout the chapter so keep that in mind…  
-Isis


	2. Chapter 2- Telescope

Chapter 2- Telescope

* * *

"Things are as they are. Looking out into the universe at night, we make no comparisons between right and wrong stars, nor between well and badly arranged constellations."  
-Alan Watts

* * *

The girl woke to muffled screams. Blindly, she shifted through the heavy dark, reaching for her boots. Slipping out an ivory dagger from her left boot, she placed it in the loop of her pants, tugging her shirt over it.

Peeking through the tiny peephole in the door, Itzel gasped.

The walls were drenched in blood. Crimson covered the hallway in rivulets, revealing the brutality of the murders. Bodies littered the corridor as she stepped out of the safety of her room, dagger shaking in her hand. Placing one hand on the wall for leverage, she pulled back to see that there was now crimson staining her hand.

"H-help! Someone, help me!" A woman's voice wailed, alerting the raven-haired girl. Itzel ran towards the voice, willing herself to keep her eyes forward and not towards the bodies that squelched sickeningly underneath her boots.

Stopping in the arched doorway, she immediately furrowed her brows in anger. Rido had the elderly woman who had given them the room key in his grasp, fangs poised over her jugular.

"Rido, stop!" Itzel yelled, clenching her fingers around her dagger.

"Ah, kid, just in time for the party! These people weren't very kind at all; a group of humans saw you walk into the room with me... let's just say their thoughts weren't exactly _pure_." He motioned to the numerous bodies on the lobby floor, sneering all the while.

"So you killed them?!"

He laughed. "Of course! For the record, it was all in self-defense! Well, at first anyway. They foolishly thought they could overpower me with sheer number. Now I'm just sating my thirst!"

Just as he finished speaking he burrowed his fangs into the woman's neck, his mismatched eyes never leaving Itzel's. It was an almost mocking gesture as if to say, _and there goes all your petty philosophies, little girl._

With tears clouding her eyes, Itzel stepped forward, raising her dagger. The vampire gave her a questioning look but did not stop from his meal. She let out a cry of anger before slicing the dagger in a downward arc, eyes squeezed shut.

Suddenly, he felt the white-hot pain of a knife in his shoulder and cried out, letting go of the elderly woman. His victim dropped to the floor with a harsh thud, blood pouring from the wound in her neck. Her cobalt eyes were open wide with fear, mouth parted in a frantic flurry of movement, but no words would come out.

"Itzel!" Rido growled, pulling the dagger from his flesh. It sparked blue against his hand as he quickly dropped it, understanding flickering across his mismatched eyes. He growled as the wound refused to close, rivulets of crimson dripping down his arm.

"Oh, so you're actually a vampire hunter, huh? And here I thought you were just some stupid little girl!" He goaded, taking a few steps toward the hapless victim on the floor, one hand pressed against the bleeding wound in his left shoulder.

"Wait! What are you doing? Attack me! I'm the one who stabbed you, she's done nothing—"

"Don't think you can order me around! I'm not some beast bound in chains! Besides, you really don't want me to keep her alive; surely you know what happens, _vampire hunter_, when a human is bitten by a pureblood?"

As if on cue, the woman rose to her feet, groaning loudly. She clawed at her neck, eyes flashing crimson as she stumbled to the nearest corpse.

"N-no... Don't..." Itzel trailed off, looking sadly at the monster. The elderly woman lapped up the blood on the floor greedily, giving up to the monster inside of her. Itzel reached a hand towards the woman only for the beast to growl out, fangs protruding from under her lips.

The elderly woman lunged at the youth, a wicked grin on her face. Itzel closed her eyes, bringing her arms up to block the attack. Seconds passed as a bloodcurdling scream erupted from the woman's throat.

Hesitantly, the girl opened her eyes to see that the Level E was quickly fading to sand, a clawed hand through her chest. Rido pulled his hand away, smirking all the while.

Itzel dropped to the ground, topaz eyes empty and cold. "You're a monster..." She breathed finally, watching as the woman turned to ash.

He smiled sardonically. "Of course I am! I never claimed to be anything else! But, would you have preferred for me to let these pieces of filth wander around and attack more humans? Sometimes death is the only mercy you can grant."

She kept her head low, absorbing his words. Those people would have been cursed to hunger and walk alone forever. To eventually attack their friends and family without a shed of remorse, without even a single shred of humanity to hold on to. Could death really be so merciful? Itzel shook her head. _No. I've always known— even during those times— that murder is wrong._

"...You could have not bitten them to start with." She finally responded, standing up to glare at the pureblood. He laughed, carelessly throwing the dagger back at the girl. She caught it with one hand, shoving the weapon back in the loop of her pants.

"What am I to eat then? I don't think cows and chickens can appeal to my _sensitive_ pallet."

The raven-haired woman ignored him, turning to walk down the ash-filled corridor.

"Turning your back on a pureblood isn't wise, kid." Rido warned, grasping her shoulder. She shivered slightly at the contact of his cold hand on her bare shoulder. _He's as cold as a corpse. As cold as Death itself…_

"Say... Itzel, are you afraid you'll become just like them? A monster? " He jeered, hot breaths tickling the shell of her ear. She stilled as he gave a languid lick to the side of her neck.

"No." She replied firmly, fingers inching towards the dagger.

"Ah, I can't let you do that." He said, pulling the ebony knife from her pant loop. Before he dropped it he read the inscription on the metal hilt, grinning at the irony.

"Nephthys, the goddess of death and night. Funny, coming from a vampire hunter."

"I'm not a hunter."

"I thought you said that you hated liars? Last time I checked, anti-vampire weapons left blue sparks in their wake whenever they came in contact with a vampire."

"That is an anti-vampire weapon, but I am no hunter." She replied softly.

"Then how the hell did you get your hands on one? Pretty sure those guys don't part with their weapons until they die."

"I... borrowed it." Itzel replied cryptically, turning her head slightly. Itzel looked into the man's crimson orb, a frown playing on her lips.

"If you're going to kill me, you should do it now, before the authorities show up."

He let out a loud chortle, spinning the woman around to face him. "Now why would I do that when you've given me so much entertainment? A pacifist who knows how to fight, a regular human with a vampire hunter weapon, a naive human girl with her head in the stars, you are a being of contradictions!"

"So are you." She countered icily, brushing past the man.

"Where are you going? Have you given up on your dream of coexistence? " He called out cheekily, watching as her form disappeared down the hall.

"Not yet... I'm going anywhere but here. This place reeks of death."

Rido gave an annoyed huff as he heard the bell on the front door chime, signaling her departure. _Itzel, you definitely fit your name, a 'star' in the cold dead of night. You and your silly beliefs. Even after all of this, you still hold on futilely to a sliver of hope. Was I not the perfect monster? Did I not give a good show?_

* * *

I

Itzel wandered alone, feeling more at peace with the silence than ever before. The sky was just now lighting up, the sun peeking just above the horizon. She watched the sunrise with a heavy heart, sitting in the sand with a sigh. The beautiful reds and oranges usually filled her heart with joy, but now, it only reminded her of blood. Of _his _massacre.

"A fool, huh?" She mumbled out loud, picking up a stone and heaving it forward. It landed dimly next to a lizard, scaring it off to hide under a large boulder.

Itzel sighed again, wrapping her arms around her knees. _Stupid Rido. He's definitely not like the vampire I met before. He cares for no one but himself._

Her topaz eyes furrowed slightly as a strong gust of wind blew. She exhaled, breathing in the hot, dry air. Her fingers dug into the sand as it too scattered in the growing wind, leaving her with nothing. _Well, he did kind of kill those guys because they threatened me- no, that was probably just an excuse. With whatever he does his actions gratify himself. He got to have a little fun and a meal under the guise of protecting me. He wanted nothing more than to sate his bloodlust._

As she pondered these thoughts she heard the sound of heavy footfalls. Before she could turn around the barrel of a gun was pressed to the back of her head.

"Do you mind coming with me, miss?"

* * *

The tavern was nearly empty by the time Rido stepped in. After traveling to the next town over (keeping track of Itzel's scent all the way), he stopped at the tavern for information. Even as a pureblood, it was never a good idea to go where hunters could be meeting.

Walking to one of the farthest tables near the corner, the vampire sat, scanning the small group of people.

Three men were huddled around a large pitcher of beer, faces flushed pink from the alcohol. They laughed and yelled loudly, beyond inebriated after their seventh large tankard. Besides the three rowdy patrons, the tavern was relatively empty, save for the barmaid and himself.

"Can I get something for you, sir?" The somewhat attractive barmaid questioned, trailing her hand against his shoulder. Her golden hair was plaited over her shoulder and she kept fluttering her eyelashes as if it were to enthrall the brunette. Unfortunately for her, it stirred nothing but a feeling of irritation from the man.

He flashed a sharp grin, the very tip of his fangs peeking out as he spoke, "No thank you, miss. I've... already had something to drink tonight."

She nodded in understanding, running her fingers along his back as she left. "My name's Fiona, if you ever... need anything." She whispered sultrily, fluttering her eyelashes one final time. Rido frowned darkly the moment the woman turned away.

_And all humans can do nothing but become entranced with our beauty. How utterly boring... _He gave a long sigh, eyes flickering to the three drunkards. They had just noticed his presence and approached him together, each sporting smug grins.

The leader (who looked to be the drunkest out of them all) stumbled towards him, sneering.

"Hey, what's wrong with your eyes? You a monster or something?"

His two other companions laughed in agreement, each with their own array of taunts.

"Yah, you're looking at us like you want some trouble!"

"That's a pretty nice coat you have; would be a shame if someone were to do… this!" The third man started to throw his tankard on the pureblood but stopped, eyes wide with fear.

"W-what the hell! Why can't I move?" He looked to his two other companions for help, but they were already entranced, eyes dim and opaque.

"Now… _friends_, that wouldn't have been very nice. I actually have a question for you three. Could you tell me if you've seen any suspicious people enter the village?

All three shook their heads mechanically. "No. You are the only new visitor we've seen today."

Rido smirked. "Good. Now, I want you three to go outside and continue to walk forward until you pass out. If you're lucky, someone will find you before the buzzards do."

Automatically, the trio obeyed, leaving the tavern without a word. Inside, however, the pureblood felt a tug of irritation in his chest. _Why didn't I kill them? It can't possibly be because of that foolish girl. No— too many murders will only cause suspicion. I can't kill every human I come across. _Pleased with his reasoning, he stood up, brushing off sand from his coat.

Just as the vampire was about to leave the tavern, convinced that there were no hunters in the village, a piece of paper caught his eye. He swiped it off of the wall, smoothing out the creased edges.

"Reward for the capture of the _Strigoi_, wanted dead or alive..." Rido trailed off, looking at the rough sketch of the fugitive.

He was staring straight into the cold, golden eyes of Itzel Crown. Then, there was the sweet smell of blood.

* * *

A/N: Uh oh, what kind of trouble has our beloved Itzel gotten into now? Also, 'Strigoi' in Romanian roughly translates to 'poltergeist.' Stay tuned for more answers to Itzel's past as well as Haruka and Juuri's betrayal. I hope Rido isn't too OOC; he's definitely not the nicest guy ever, but I need to make him somewhat likeable XD As usual, reviews/critiques are very much obliged!

-Isis


	3. Chapter 3- Constellations in Your Eyes

Chapter 3- Constellations in Your Eyes

A/N: Eep, this story's turning out darker than I thought it would be (I blame Rido!). So, as a warning, this chap is pretty dark. I don't want to spoil anything, but if you are squeamish or afraid of psychological horror (especially kidnappings) you should probably click out of this chap now. Oh, and school's been surprising lax lately for me, so expect relatively quick updates as I actually have the whole story planned out for once :P

* * *

_"Through space the universe encompasses and swallows me up like an atom; through thought I comprehend the world."_  
_-Blaise Pascal_

* * *

Itzel sat in the cell, fingers curled around the rusted bars. The scent of death permeated the place, causing the petite woman to wrinkle her nose in disgust. She tore off her stained white shirt to sit in a plain tank top, sweating in the heat of the prison.

Itzel swiped away sweat from her brow, fingers sweeping across a bump on her head. She was relieved to see that the wound had stopped bleeding. The stranger had hit her with the barrel of the gun when she had resisted, knocking her unconscious. Now, there was only dried blood on her forehead, most of the wound being covered by her long fringe.

To her left she could see the remnants of some skeleton, the skull shattered in half. She shivered at the sudden gust of air that swept through the concrete corridor, signaling that someone had stepped into the dungeon.

Itzel scurried to the corner of the cell, keeping her head low as the sound of footsteps grew closer. The finger bone she had been begrudgingly using in an attempt to break the chains around her wrists was thrown to the side as a dark shadow loomed over her.

"You idiot! Don't you know who she is?" The man hissed, turning to the guard who was making his patrol down the winding corridor.

"Uh, a human?" He offered, immediately regretting his response as a hand collided with the back of his head.

"She's the _Strigoi_! Instead of selling her to some stupid vampire we can just take her to the authorities! The bounties over five thousand!"

"But, sir..." The guard started, hesitantly peaking up at the much more imposing man from the brim of his hat.

"What?"

"Someone has already offered to buy her. He's on his way with the _messenger._"

The leader sighed, keeping his voice low as for Itzel not to hear, "That's why we get the money from the vampire first, kill him, and then reap the reward from the authorities."

With that, he was gone, the metal door shutting with a thud in his departure. The guard resumed his patrols, walking to down the row of cells. Whimpers could be heard from other women in their cells, crescendoing by the harsh bark of the guard to quit their crying unless they wanted to die.

The topaz-eyes girl scratched at her binds irritably, running a hand through her messy raven hair. Despite her position, she felt no desire to cry. No, there was only regret. She knew her past would eventually catch up to her. She just didn't expect for it to come so soon.

_I wanted to dream for just a little longer..._

* * *

She was startled awake by the sound of shaking keys. Disoriented, the woman blindly reached for a part of the skeleton, intent on using the bone as a weapon.

"Ah, we can't have you doing that! The boss says you gotta be in your best condition when you meet your buyer!" A chipper voice called, revealing a slightly pudgy man with tattoos covering his arms.

Itzel stilled, hands grasped around what appeared to be a rib bone. "Now missy, if you could just let go of that bone—"

"I want answers first. Who are you? Why are you kidnapping women?"

The man let out a deep chortle. "Well, there's really no harm in telling ya since you're going to be sold anyway. Vampires are finicky creatures. Many hate having to search for a blood source. That's where we come in. We call ourselves Blood Banks, a place where vampires can buy living blood sources without a struggle. We get money, they get blood. And everyone ends up happy—well, except the donors, anyway."

He grabbed her arm, pulling the girl to her feet. Reluctantly, she dropped the bone, letting it roll from her hand onto the concrete floor. He then procured a silver key from his pocket, releasing her hands from their binds. She was about to breathe in a sigh of relief only to see another pair of handcuffs in his hands, the chain much shorter than the one before. He snapped them on, motioning for the girl to follow.

"That's a good girl. Come on, your buyer is waiting."

She followed without a struggle, acceptance clear in her eyes. Unless her life was in mortal danger, unless there was a dagger pressed to her throat, she would only defend herself. Without being attacked first by this man, her pacifism did not let her retaliate. Instead, she followed him in her shackles, eyes cast to the ground.

Her thoughts drifted to her 'buyer,' a sickening feeling rising from the pit of her stomach. To be used only as a blood source, a simple plaything for some vampire... it was as if her dreams were being crushed right in front of her eyes.

If Rido's display of maniacal bloodshed wasn't bad enough, she was now going to become the literal cattle for a vampire. Coexistence was when two species were on the same plain of equality; that was what she had believed. This wasn't coexistence... it was servitude.

She did not have long to ponder her thoughts as she was pushed into a dimly lit room, falling across the threshold and onto the wooden floor with a thud. A boot pressed heavily against her head as a baritone chuckle reverberated through the air. She gritted her teeth in pain as the foot dug into the side of her head.

"This is who you wanted, right?" The same man who had bullied the guard earlier questioned, turning to the figure lurking on the edge of the shadows.

"Yes... she will do nicely." The vampire commented, stepping into the sliver of light. Itzel let out a gasp as she stared into the mismatched eyes of Rido.

"So, Rido-sama, is there any particular reason you picked her out of the rest of our stock? The messenger should have given you more than enough information—"

The pureblood waved his hand dismissively. "She is all I need."

"But, sir, we have much more attractive women in our inventory. Perhaps you would want a more... voluptuous woman—"

"I will not repeat myself again. I want _her_." He replied icily, fangs peeking from under his curled lips.

The man reluctantly removed his boot from the side of her face, allowing the girl to sit up. She glared at Rido who stifled a laugh at her indignant expression.

"Do you need the chains or...?"

"You can unlock her; I already have her under my control." He stated, looking into Itzel's eyes.

She quickly caught on, letting herself appear emotionless and apathetic. She walked towards the man at his beckon, inwardly cringing. _He probably wants to appear like prince charming yet again. Too bad the prince never had fangs._

"Now, my pet," he whispered in her ear, "I think it's time we take out leave."

She nodded mechanically, following after the pureblood.

"Ah, there's one more thing, Rido-sama!" The man called out, reaching into his back pocket.

"Yes?" Rido turned around, Itzel beside him.

"I need you to do one more thing for us... and die!" The knife flew towards the pureblood in such a surprise that he didn't manage to block it. Instead, he was able to move over slightly for the blade to miss its directed target, his heart, and land instead in the middle of his chest. Blue sparks erupted from the blade as Rido pulled it out, blood dripping from his mouth.

"And here I was going to let you live. I guess this is what I get for showing mercy," He growled, eyes flashing crimson.

Immediately, the pureblood was beside the foolish man, clawed hand over his heart. He gave a sneering grin at the frightened kidnapper before shoving his hand straight through his ribs to crush his heart. The man fell forward with a thud as Rido licked the blood off of his fingers.

The other man who had escorted Itzel into the room was also killed in a similar fashion, only that Rido didn't even bother physically attacking him, but instead grasped his heart with his mind and squeezed. He too fell to the floor with a sickening thump, eyes open with a glassy opaqueness.

There was still blood pouring from the wound in his chest, however, and despite his attempts at hiding his pain, he wobbled slightly as he walked to the door. The scent of her blood was driving him mad; coupled with his wound, it was only a matter of time before he lost control of his bloodlust. He clamped his mouth shut as he vainly tried to wrestle with his growing hunger. All of his efforts would come to waste if he suddenly killed her now.

"Rido—" Itzel started, only to have the vampire hold up a hand.

"Get that wound taken care of. I'm going to go have a snack." He interrupted, intent on going into one of the holding cells to have a meal.

"Wait! You can't just eat one of those poor girls!"

He turned around, clearly exasperated. "Then what do you expect me to eat?"

Shakily, Itzel picked up the dagger that the kidnapper had dropped, realizing immediately that it was her blade that they had taken when she was unconscious.

"...For coexistence to work, both races must be able to give and take."

She then made a horizontal cut on her shoulder, wincing in pain. Immediately, she dropped the dagger, legs buckling under her from the pain.

Rido let out an annoyed growl, stalking over to the human. "You are absolutely the most foolish human I've ever met."

She gave a small smile. "Well, you're the most arrogant, narcissistic vampire I've ever met."

His eyes traveled to the cut in her shoulder, already feeling the dull ache of his fangs against his gums. In a usual fashion, the vampire gave a characteristic grin, one cold hand wrapped around her arm.

"Well, I can't argue with that. Stay still— it will hurt less." He breathed, both eyes a bright crimson.

Itzel continued to stare boldly forward, her heart-rate increasing with every second. She could practically feel her heart beating through her ribs as the man dropped his head to the cut.

Suddenly, she felt his tongue against her skin and she shivered, doing her best to not instinctively back away as the vampire started feeding. He lapped at the blood gently, carefully keeping his fangs from breaking the skin.

It continued for what seemed like a century for Itzel until the vampire gave one more languid lick, teasingly running his fangs against her skin. Pulling away, he whispered silkily in her ear, "Thanks for the meal..."

If she had the energy, she would have pushed him away, but instead settled for a well-placed glare, rising shakily to her feet. The room swayed as she fell forward, fingers digging into the fabric of Rido's coat.

"Ah, looks like I took too much." He said, bringing his arms around the girl to steady her.

"J-just give me a moment, I'll be fine—"

"I don't want to wait that long." He interrupted, picking her up into his arms. He held her bridal style, laughing as she brought her hands against his chest, vainly beating against him.

"L-let me go! I can walk!"

"But, you'll only drag behind. This way's faster." He retorted, ignoring her protests as they crossed the threshold into the hallway with the holding cells.

Itzel huffed irritably, face flushed pink as her eyes flickered to his smug grin. _He's so infuriating! One moment he's a monster and the next he's acting like a prince! He's a walking contradiction!_

* * *

After begrudgingly releasing the girls from their cells (on Itzel's persistent plea), Rido traveled north, towards what he could smell as civilization. The stars danced overhead as he walked through the sand, eyes flickering to the girl in his arms.

Itzel had fallen asleep as night approached, the weight of her kidnapping finally taking its toll. She rested comfortably in his arms, as if she wasn't in the grasp of a monster.

The pureblood studied her face carefully, from the freckles that peppered her cheeks to the long scar that cut across the bridge of her nose. If there was one word to describe her, it would be ordinary. Her only outstanding quality was her topaz eyes and even then she seemed to be the epitome of average. Yet, he couldn't help but notice the sharp angles of her cheeks or the way her lashes fluttered in her sleep.

He gave a heavy sigh, the scent of the nearest village growing stronger. It made no sense. There was no end to the supply of woman who would literally throw themselves at his feet. Yet, something had happened when he had tasted her blood. It was more than just the rich, sweet taste of the liquid down his throat.

For the first time, he felt that his thirst had been fully quenched.

Rido looked up at the stars, shaking his head at his own idiocy. It seemed that her foolishness was rubbing off because, for a moment, he thought that the stars were beautiful.

* * *

A/N: Oh, perhaps their relationship is improving XD they definitely have an interesting dynamic; anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this chap. As usual reviews would be lovely! Also, I may make a poll later, but right now I have this story wavering on the border of tragedy. I guess what I'm asking is if you guys want a tragic ending or a happy (hopefully non-cliche) ending? Just tell me in the reviews for your opinion. It won't be for a while, but I just wanted to put that out there! I'll definitely let you guys known if I do make a poll for this, so stay tuned! And once again, I apologize for any OOC-ness for Rido; he had very little screen time in the anime and manga so coming up with his personality _before_ his descent into madness is difficult :/  
-Isis


	4. Chapter 4- To the Edge of the Stars

A/N: Haha, didn't I tell you guys this story would update fast :P Hope you like it!

* * *

"I have loved the stars too fondly to be _fearful_ of the night."  
-Galileo

* * *

Chapter 4- To the Edge of the Stars

The pureblood gave an annoyed sigh as the girl startled awake, immediately scanning her surroundings in a blind haze. Fear was present in her topaz orbs, muscles stiffened. She visibly calmed down when she noticed Rido's presence, however, relaxing her shoulders.

"Do not worry. We are at an inn— and no, I haven't killed everyone... yet." The hint of a smirk flitted across the pureblood's handsome face.

Itzel scoffed. "Well, that's a step in the right direction."

She stretched out her arms, the aches and pains of the day prior finally catching up to her. "I'm going to take a bath." The girl pulled the sheets off of her lithe form as she sleepily walked to the bathroom.

"Want me to join you?" The vampire called out teasingly, chuckling as the girl slammed the door shut behind her.

"What do you think?!" She muttered, ignoring the pureblood's jibes. He was too infuriating for his own good... yet, a small smile passed her lips.

Perhaps there was more to the monster than the facade he gave the world. Perhaps... he wasn't _completely_ evil. She shook her head at the thought. Rido was right. She was being a complete fool.

* * *

When the girl walked out of the bathroom, a roll of steam behind her, she found that the vampire was asleep in the bed.

Peering through the curtains she could see that morning was just beginning to break, the sun peeking over the horizon. Like clockwork, Rido had fallen asleep, turned away from the source of light and buried under the heavy blankets.

Itzel rolled her eyes, looking for her boots. Slipping them on, she gave herself one more look in the mirror.

Her hair was a mess of wet curls, but her face was void of dirt. Her clothes, however, were still covered in dirt and sand, and she wrinkled her nose slightly.

Reaching into her back pocket, she was surprised to find her wallet still in place. The kidnappers didn't search her thoroughly, and only took what was visibly on her person, explaining why her coat was missing, but her wallet was still intact.

She took a sideward glance at Rido's coat. It rested innocently enough on the back of a chair, sparking an idea in her head. Despite the messy way he killed his victims, he kept his coat clean, barely a hint of dirt or blood on it. Making a split-second decision, Itzel grabbed the coat before slipping her arms through the sleeves.

The dark trench-coat nearly swallowed her petite form, the edge of the sleeves falling to her knuckles. But, the fabric was soft, and she clasped the buttons together as she walked out of the room. The door clicked softly behind her, careful to not alert the vampire of her leaving.

The first thing she needed to do was get some new clothes. With that thought in mind, she entered the main lobby of the inn, relieved to see the smiling faces of other patrons. Rido hadn't done anything drastic this time, to her relief, and she continued to walk happily out of the building.

* * *

The streets were relatively empty, with only a few early patrons shuffling around the stalls. The girl smiled to herself as she traversed the small village, watching as two children ran in front of her.

"Sorry, miss!" A blonde boy blurted out, bowing. The red-haired girl beside him followed suit, clenching the hem of her dress nervously.

Itzel laughed lightly, ruffling the two children's hair. "It's alright. Just be careful next time. You could get hurt."

The children nodded eagerly, waving goodbye as they disappeared around the street corner.

The bronze-skinned girl continued her stroll, stopping in front of a stall with an array of clothes. The man greeted her warmly, immediately pointing her in the direction of his finer fabric.

"I was looking for a coat, actually."

The man nodded eagerly. "I can give you a fairly reasonable price for this one," He paused to pick up a tan long-coat, handing it to the girl.

Itzel quickly pulled off Rido's coat to try on the new one, enjoying the leather lining on the inside. There were deep pockets on the inside to her glee. _It will definitely make a better holder for Nephthys than just my pants loop.  
_  
After a brief exchange, Itzel left the shop with a lighter wallet, but a bag in her left hand. She had already kept on the new coat and folded Rido's into the shopping bag.

Just as she made her way towards the inn, a dark figure brushed into her.

"Sorry—" She started, only to freeze immediately.

The man's amber eyes were narrowed in anger, fingers curled around a metal object. His gaze immediately softened as he gave a quick apology, walking in the opposite direction of the inn.

It wasn't until a few moments later that she came to a startling revelation. _That man... was a vampire hunter._

* * *

"Rido... Rido, wake up." Itzel called out softly, shaking the vampire's shoulders.

He woke immediately, eyes a dark crimson at his rude awakening. Still disoriented, he did the first thing that came naturally to him and attacked, pinning the girl under him.

"C-calm down! It's just me!"

He immediately stilled at her voice, but made no motion to get off of her. "Didn't I warn you about waking me? Especially during the day?"

Rido's curls brushed against her shoulder as he brought his mouth to her neck. Hot puffs of breath escaped his lips as he teasingly breathed against the shell of her ear. "...I may just eat you someday, if you're not careful."

She pushed lightly against his bare chest, looking anywhere but directly at the vampire. "I woke you for a reason, Rido. There are vampire hunters here." Her voice wavered slightly as her cheeks flushed pink.

The man's wicked grin slipped to a frown as he pulled away, allowing the girl to sit up. She sat on the edge of the bed, shooting the vampire one more glare as he went to sit beside her.

"This place seemed so peaceful and ordinary that I didn't think to check around. Tell me, how do you know there are hunters here?"

She glared at the arrogant pureblood, sitting beside him on the edge of the bed. "I went into town and literally ran into one. It was for a moment, but I saw a blade under his coat."

Rido raised an eyebrow. "So, he had a sword. Big deal. He could be just another cutthroat."

She shook her head. "Even though the streets were empty he didn't try to rob me. He seemed really angry at first when he bumped into me, but apologized once he got a good look at my face. When he realized I was a human. He was walking away from the inn... like he had already been here."

A knock suddenly resounded in the small room, both occupants' eyes darting to the door.

Rido retrieved his shirt from the floor and slipped it on, stalking towards the door in a languid motion. Not missing a beat, he swung the door open, fingers clenched at his sides.

Two familiar children poked their heads into the room, both moving back slightly at the sight of the imposing man.

"What do you kids want?" He growled irritably, the light of the hallway further dampening his mood.

The two children fidgeted nervously, faces cast to the floor. Rido let out an annoyed sigh, opening the door wider to reveal Itzel.

"There better be a good reason you two brats are here. I'm feeling a bit... peckish, after all." He then proceeded to give a lopsided grin, exposing his fangs.

The girl backed behind who appeared to be her brother, only for her eyes to lighten up at the sight of Itzel.

"Brother, see, she's in there. The lady wasn't lying to us!" She pointed in the raven-haired woman's direction, bouncing excitedly. The boy's eyes also brightened as he realized Itzel was there, any prior fear of the frightening man in front of them gone.

The pair rushed by the surprised brunette, hopping eagerly towards Itzel.

"Miss, when you bumped into us you dropped this from your pocket!" The boy proceeded to pull out a metal tin, fishing out a copper coin. Itzel stared at it quizzically, but took it anyway.

"Thanks you two, I was definitely... looking for this." She gave a warm smile as the two children skipped towards the door.

"Bye miss... bye sir!" They added later, waving more at Itzel than Rido as they walked into the hallway.

Rido slammed the door shut behind him, giving the girl an annoyed glare. "Explain."

"I don't know. I did run into those kids, but this isn't mine. I didn't want to offend them, but it has someone else's initials on it. KC."

"So what, they found some random coin on the street and decided to give it to you?" He replied lazily, returning to the comforts of the bed.

"I guess. Something about this isn't right, though. I can feel it."

"It's fine. We'll leave the village tonight."

Itzel cast her eyes to the ground, deep in thought. _Those two, although they were looking for me, didn't seem all that fazed by Rido. As if they were warned about him beforehand. Ah, what am I thinking, they're just kids!_

She smiled at her own foolishness. She was just being paranoid, was all. And who knew, Rido could be right. The man she ran into before was probably just a bounty hunter or a thief.

* * *

A few hours later, the pair took off from the inn, night settling in around them. The stars were as beautiful as before, twinkling brightly in the absence of other light. On Rido's behalf, they continued heading north, towards what he deemed as _home_. Somehow, the words seemed to sour when on his tongue, making the girl wonder about his family.

Neither talked much about their past, but Itzel could not recall a time in which Rido spoke of his family, whether it be good or bad. _I wonder what his home is like. He never mentions it and then all of a sudden he wants to go there. I hope it isn't some gothic-style mansion with a bunch of torture chambers or something. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if it was..._

"Say... Rido, I've been meaning to ask—"

He suddenly brought a hand to his lips, his usual care-free, narcissistic smile turned to a frown. Itzel stilled immediately, hand reflexively traveling to her dagger.

A sudden gust of wind enveloped the pair, sending a wave of sand towards them. The raven-haired girl shut her eyes as grains of sand cut into her skin, causing her to wince slightly. Eventually the sandstorm around them subsided, as a dark figure appeared from afar.

"Rido Kuran, it has been a long time." A smooth voice smoke in a whirlwind of sand. A sword rested in the man's hand, clearly the cause of the tornado of sand that had surrounded the pair.

"Vampire hunter... Kaien Cross. I should have known it was you. Are you now exploiting children to do your dirty work? I thought that was my job!" He sneered, taking long strides toward the hunter.

"I was just 'helping' them protect their village. That woman smells just like you; it was easy to track her and sure enough, she led me to you. I don't know what sort of charade you're playing, Rido, but I will not let you kill another human. Miss, you must know he'll betray you, someday. You're human now, but one day he'll turn you into a monster."

Itzel stepped forward, holding up her hands in a sign of peace. "Kaien, was it? I understand why you are going after Rido— there are times when I want to kill him too— but, we have a... truce of sorts. A test of philosophies, if you will."

The amber-eyed man furrowed his brow. "What could you possibly learn from a monster? What _philosophy_, could a monster have?"

She gave a small smile. "You'd be surprised. I won't quit until I prove humans and vampires can coexist. Perhaps one day you'll see that too."

He chuckled darkly, brandishing his blade. "This banter has been fun, but I came here for a reason. Vampires and humans will never live together in peace without one race destroying the other. That is why, Rido Kuran... this will be the last night you terrorize humanity!"

The hunter charged, bringing the sword over his head. Rido grinned wickedly, eyes shining a bright crimson in the heavy dark. "You're arrogance is for folly, _friend_… but that doesn't mean I won't enjoy a little snack!"

* * *

A/N: ...And I can't believe I made a story where Kaien is an antagonist and Rido is a protagonist XD As usual, please drop a review and tell me what you think! Thanks again!  
-Isis


	5. Chapter 5- Sunrise

Chapter 5- Sunrise

* * *

_"When all the stars eventually fall, what will guide us home?"_

* * *

Kaien brought the sword down centimeters from the pureblood's head. The vampire dodged the attack with ease, bracing his hand on the ground as he skidded to a stop. He gave a light chuckle as he used his other hand like a spear, darting forward in a flash of mahogany and black.

The vampire hunter stepped to the side, a lock of hair being cut off by Rido's claws. He cursed, tumbling to a fall as the vampire used his other hand to jab at his side. His claws found purchase in his abdomen, blood coating the sandy dune. He clutched at the wound, hazel eyes wide with fear and surprise. _So quickly… I've been defeated. How?_

Kaien let out a groan of pain, futilely trying to get back to his feet. His vision was becoming fuzzy and as he clenched his fingers into the sand he heard the steps of the pureblood, shadow looming dangerously over him.

The flaxen-haired man tried to dig his sword into the pureblood's foot, but as his vision swayed he missed completely, burying the weapon into the sand. Rido chuckled at the action, kicking the sword away. It sparked when it made contact with his shoe, but remained buried in the sand a few feet away.

"Are you done trying to save the world, _little vampire hunter_?" He sneered, reaching to grab the blonde man by his throat.

"Rido, stop!" Itzel intercepted his attack, using all of her strength to hold the man's blood-stained hand back.

He gave her a curious look, but paused, both eyes a heavy crimson.

"You don't expect me to just leave him there alive, do you? Besides, I am growing hungry..." He reached for the man again only to have Itzel pull out her dagger.

He scoffed. "I thought you were a pacifist."

"I am. I'm trying to end this conflict without unnecessary bloodshed. Think for a second, Rido. If you kill him you'll only be enraging even more vampire hunters. Do you want to be hunted all your life?"

"I could live like a saint and they would still try to kill me. Hunters do not need a reason to kill vampires; as long as we are breathing we are a target."

"A test then. Spare him. See what happens. You're a pureblood so if they really do retaliate, you should be fine. Don't you want to prove to me that humans and vampires can't coexist? This goes for hunters and vampires as well." There was a desperate look in her eyes, tears nearly spilling down the edges of her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away, topaz orbs cast to the ground.

"Please... don't kill him." She pleaded, bringing the dagger down to her side. The hand that was holding it shook, fingers trembling as a throaty chuckle escaped Rido's lips.

Suddenly, there was a hand on her head, warm and surprisingly gentle. "Fine, kid. Just know I want a reward in return. I think you can guess what it is I want."

He turned to the hunter, sighing. "I'm not going to kill you, but that wound will be fatal if left untreated. There is a village a couple miles away, south from here." With that the pureblood walked away, Itzel following closely behind.

Just as he lost consciousness, Kaien swore, "Damnit... I won't allow myself to be in a vampire's debt."

* * *

Itzel walked beside the pureblood, a large grin on her face. She hummed lightly as they walked through the night, eyes turned to the vampire.

"Are you really so pleased that I didn't kill him?" He questioned, an amused look in his mismatched orbs.

She nodded, folding her hands to her chest. "Of course! It means that for now, I was right! Humans and vampires have a chance at coexistence! Sure, it's a bit slim, but it's still there. So thank you, Rido."

He sighed. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, kid. Anyway, about my _reward_…" The man suddenly pulled the girl to the ground, looming over her lithe form. His shadow nearly swallowed her as the moon cast gentle shadows across the brunette's cheek.

"I think I want it now." She could feel his breath against her neck and shivered, unconsciously curling towards the warm body pressed against her. He dipped his head to the column of her neck, teasingly trailing his fangs against the skin.

"F-fine... take the dagger." With shaky hands, Itzel procured the dagger from her coat pocket.

Rido took it, watching as the girl closed her eyes. His gaze traveled from her messy black hair to her parted lips, a strange feeling welling in the pit of his stomach.

"Hold still." He said before running his tongue across her pulse to ease the inevitable pain. She remained still, eyebrows furrowing at the feeling. Once he was sure that the area had been adequately covered, he brought the knife to her neck, holding it in a way that kept the sparks from jumping up his arm. Making a small, shallow incision he couldn't help but notice her slight cry of pain. The feeling was once again rising in his stomach.

Before his tongue darted out to the crimson, a quick, almost inaudible word passed his lips. "Sorry..."

But Itzel had heard it. Through the haze of pain and fear she had heard it. She could feel the way he held back, the restraint he kept to not accidentally pierce her skin with his fangs. The gentle nature in which he fed. As if to comfort him, Itzel slowly brought up her arms around him, wrapping her fingers into his dark locks.

"It's alright, Rido..." She murmured, eyes still closed. From their position, Rido could hear and feel her life slipping away, feel the steady drum of her heart slowing as he drank. For the first time, he hated to hear that sound. Because, it revealed the monster he truly was.

Her comforting words caused an immediate reaction in the pureblood as he struggled to pull himself away. Her blood was so sweet... it was intoxicating. Every time he wanted more and more and... The vampire had to forcibly remove himself from her, darting back a few paces as he let out a long, shaky breath. He clutched at his throat and then his heart at another wave of what appeared to be bloodlust hit him.

Itzel opened her eyes to see that Rido had taken a few steps back, breathing heavily. "Are you alright?" She questioned, wincing as she sat up. Thanks to his salvia, the wound was already healing, although the faint line of the blade was still visible against her olive skin.

He did not respond, merely ghosting over to the woman. Wordlessly, he towered over her again, eyes traveling from her neck to her lips. He kissed her suddenly, a quick, chaste kiss that left the girl reeling. When he pulled away, there was his usual characteristic smirk on his face.

"Thanks for the meal." His breathing had finally evened out as he brought his gaze to the sand.

It was only for a moment... but, under the tempting sweetness of her blood he had seen something. Something dark and painful that had snaked its ways from his throat to his heart. Yet, as it had been the first time, he felt that his bloodlust had been truly quenched for a time.

Itzel brought her hand to her lips, blushing heavily. There was the metallic taste of blood on her lips and as she glared heavily at the smirking pureblood her mind was racing.

_Why did he do that? Just for a reaction? Gah, he can be so insufferable sometimes!_

Just as she was about to push him lightly for the stolen kiss, her vision became distorted and she fell back to her knees. He was back to her side in an instant, a hint of worry in his eyes.

_Why do I care about this insignificant human? Perhaps she is truly a vampire hunter and this is all merely a spell..._

Regardless of his inner ramblings, Rido slipped an arm around Itzel to steady her, lips forming a thin line. He could hear the fluttering of her heartbeat as he lifted her into his arms, brushing away loose grains of sand from her hair.

"L-let me go... you big jerk..." The raven-haired woman struggled weakly in his arms, trying to get back to her feet even though her vision was still reeling.

"No. You can't even walk and I don't want the sun to be up by the time we reach my home."

"B-but—"

"You're not going to win an argument with a vampire. Sleep." He interrupted, eyes flashing a dark crimson. Almost immediately Itzel fell asleep, curling towards the pureblood.

Rido sighed. Looking up once again at the stars, he wondered if there was a hint of truth in the girl's philosophy.

_What am I thinking; of course it's impossible. Because, even if I wanted to coexist, vampires can only kill. I can't even keep one human safe. How pitiful._

* * *

When Itzel awoke it was to a plush bed, streams of light sneaking in through heavy satin curtains. Turning to her right, she saw the sleeping form of Rido, brown locks peeking out from under the covers. She realized that he had turned towards her in his sleep, a warm hand draped across her abdomen.

Why had he crawled into bed with her? Assuming they were at his home, he probably had a number of empty beds or even coffins to sleep in. It made no sense to the topaz-eyed girl.

Unable to move in the fear of waking him (if the last time wasn't an indicator that Rido was anything but a morning person—err, vampire), she kept her gaze at the ceiling. Eventually, she returned to looking at the sleeping pureblood, biting her lip.

The urge to ruffle his hair was increasing, the dark curly locks splayed against the pillow. He looked so peaceful. So human. Nothing like the monster that roared just beneath the surface.

Itzel's thoughts drifted back to the kiss and she immediately blushed, unable to look away from his sleeping face.

_I guess everyone was right. There is an inevitable pull to a vampire. No matter how horrible or cruel... they can always draw you in. And now I'm trapped.  
_  
The topaz-eyed woman relented and brought a hand to the vampire's hair, teasing the curly locks gently. His hair was soft and she let out a bell-like giggle when Rido turned closer to her in his sleep. The hand that had been loosely draped around her abdomen had tightened as he pulled her closer, burrowing his head in the crook of her neck.

The girl stilled, heartbeat fluttering as she felt the man's warm breaths against her neck. A low rumble emanated from his chest and Itzel immediately calmed, almost giggling at the pureblood.

_He's like a cat... or maybe a tiger. Because that sounded almost like a purr._

Regardless, he remained asleep against her and she sighed, closing her eyes. Since it seemed that Rido was not going to be waking anytime soon it wouldn't hurt to get a few more hours of sleep...

* * *

Two purebloods traversed the sands, worry evident in their eyes.

"Haruka, do you think all of these reports about vampire attacks are Rido?"

The man shook his head. "Rido has always held a... lesser opinion of humans, but all of this carnage? He wouldn't have done this... unless..."

"No, we can't blame ourselves! Our priority is finding onii-san before he causes more lives to be lost! Come on, Haruka!"

They swiftly ran through the night, heading north for the only place they could imagine the vampire to be:

Home.

* * *

A/N: Yep, Rido is a loveable (albeit messed up) cutie in my opinion XD Yay for fluff cause things will be only going downhill from here ^^' I realize that Itzel passes out a lot, but when you're kinda friends/maybe something more with a vampire like Rido, I think she's still fairing pretty well. Anyway, sorry for the delay for this chapter. School is making writing fics on a schedule difficult. Please forgive me T-T

Review, please?

-Isis


	6. Chapter 6- Nebulae

Chapter 6- Nebulae  
A/N: Okay, this chapter is seriously screwed up (and for once, it's not Rido's fault). Beware blood and gore and other things, but this is a fic w/ vampires in it, so I guess that's to be expected...

Also, on another note, I have a poll up as for the ending of this story. People with actual ff accounts can go to my profile to vote on whether you want a happy or tragic ending. I will accept votes from guest users if you drop a vote in your review (please only vote once). Now, I hope you enjoy the chapter :3

Disclaimer: All I own is my OC, Itzel. Rido and the other characters are brain children of Matsuri Hino.

* * *

"When stars are the only things we share, will you be there?"

* * *

_There was so much blood._

_It painted the walls and floors but the man tied to the chair was still breathing, somehow. He wheezed, pleas of death twisting from his parched lips. The young girl watched helplessly as an older man approached, dagger in hand._

_He began to cut at the fingertips, sawing digit after digit as the man howled from the nearly incomprehensible pain. Eventually, his sharp cries turned to scattered mumbling, signaling that the victim had lost even the ability to scream. Itzel realized that his tongue had been cut out._

_"Now Itzel, be a good girl and do as Daddy tells you." He said, handing the child a blood-stained knife. The weight was heavy in her hands, fingers shaking around the dagger. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, her mind chanted, struggling to keep the blade in her clumsy grip._

_"B-but, I don't want to hurt anyone!" She finally cried out, dropping the dagger to the floor. It landed sharply in-between the planks of wood, saved only by the black hilt._

_"You are a Crown. It is in our nature to kill. I won't accept a daughter who doesn't even know how to wield a knife!" He growled, slapping her harshly._

_The child fell pitifully to the floor, topaz eyes clouded with tears. She heard one final cry before blood began to pool at her feet. Frantically, the girl scrambled away, watching as a decapitated head rolled towards her. The man's cerulean eyes bored into hers, glossy and opaque._

_"See what you made me do?"_

_Before the darkness swallowed her she heard the tell-tale sound of heavy boots approaching._

* * *

Itzel shot forward, a cry of pain slipping past her lips. Eyes wide with fear, she brought her knees up to her chest, shivers wracking her small frame. Tears fell from her eyes as the brunette man beside her awoke, eyes flashing crimson. When he realized there were no intruders to be seen he brought his hands to her shoulders, shaking gently.

"No, no, no, Daddy, no..." She whimpered, not noticing the vampire's attempts to pull her from her trance.

"H-hey, kid, it's alright. It was just a nightmare..." He watched as the woman remained immobile, topaz eyes staring blankly ahead.

"Itzel, damnit, wake up!" Rido tried again, nearly growling in frustration.

The sound of her name finally roused a response. Blinking, the room began to take shape, fading away from the nightmarish hell of crimson walls. She quickly composed herself, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"...Thank you." Itzel breathed, eyes cast to her lap.

The man sighed, running a hand through his messy locks. "Don't mention it."

Before he could press her for questions he stiffened, eyes narrowing dangerously. Shuffling out of the bed, he pulled on his coat, glaring heavily at the closed door.

"Stay here." He commanded, fingers tightened around the brass doorknob.

"What's wrong?"

"My _lovely_ siblings have finally decided to track me down." He was sure of it. He could smell them just inside the foyer, probably waiting for him to reveal himself. The cowards...

Itzel watched as the man disappeared behind the door, shutting it loudly behind him. Sighing, she remained in the bed. It wasn't her place to mess with family affairs; she just hoped Rido wouldn't come back covered in blood.

"Onii-san!" A brunette woman cried, running towards her eldest brother.

He huffed irritably, mismatched eyes narrowed. "Juuri, Haruka, I would like to say this is a pleasant surprise... but, it's not."

The woman frowned but continued towards him, Haruka keeping a safe distance from his unpredictable sibling.

Juuri brought up a hand to cup his face, only to pull back at the sharp glare he gave her. Teeth bared, he growled, looking away from his two younger siblings.

"Are you here to punish me? I doubt you came for a chat, what, with you two leaving to live your happy lives together." The bitterness rang clear in his voice.

"Rido..." She started, cinnamon orbs furrowed in sadness.

"You were always welcome to come with us. We never meant it to seem like we didn't want you around—" Haruka tried, only to be interrupted by Rido.

"Save your petty excuses for someone who cares."

Suddenly, the two purebloods stilled, eyes drawn to the spiral staircase. There was a new scent... one of sunflowers.

"Rido... there is a human here. Don't tell me—"

"What? I can't bring a meal home every now and then?" He spoke, moving backwards as if to block the way to the staircase.

"Stop this nonsense, Rido! I remember a time when you also held the belief that humans and vampires could coexist!"

"You're wrong, Haruka. That was you two. It was your foolish dreams. You believed it even after father and mother were murdered by hunters." The pain of his parents' death was upon him yet again, despite his better attempt to forget the memory. His gaze was cold as both siblings stepped closer to him.

"Rido..." Juuri went to pull him into a hug, placing her head against his shoulder. The pureblood did not fight it, but he did not return it, merely keeping his hands to his sides.

"Where did we go wrong? Don't you remember all the fun we had as children? How you and Haruka would take turns pushing me on the rope swing in the front yard. Do you not remember those times?"

"They are only memories. It is a time we cannot return to. And something we are better off forgetting." Rido pushed her away gently, eyes cast to the floorboards. His anger had diluted to one of melancholy, a strange darkness settling over the pureblood.

The two people he promised to kill the next time he saw them were mere inches from his claws… and yet, he couldn't bring a hand up to hurt them. _How infuriating… _he brooded bitterly, the anger becoming redirected at himself.

"Leave now and I won't kill the both of you." He threatened, knowing deep in his heart that it was empty. He turned towards the staircase only to show visible surprise, mismatched eyes widening by a fraction.

Both siblings noticed his change in demeanor and followed his eyes upward, to the human girl at the top of the staircase. The raven-haired woman looked down, embarrassed at being caught eavesdropping.

"Itzel... what did I tell you?" He growled, eyes flashing a dark crimson.

"S-sorry, but the temptation was too much..." She gave a shaky smile, turning her attention to the two other vampires in the mansion. They were, like many vampires, very beautiful. Like Rido, they too possessed dark brown hair, although both had mahogany eyes, neither sharing the same gene that caused the other pureblood to have one icy blue eye.

Haruka studied the woman carefully, from her messy dark hair to her golden, oval-shaped eyes. She didn't seem to be injured or under Rido's command and there seemed to be no visible bite-marks on her. He did notice the ghost of a cut on her neck, but instead focused on the way she hadn't flinched at the pureblood's dark tone. Even he had trouble doing that.

"You are here on your own free will?" Haruka questioned, already knowing the answer. What had his older brother gotten himself into know? It was more confusing than the trail of bodies he left in his wake. But, to have an uninjured human girl with him, who seemed to be following him out of her own free will? It was more than puzzling.

"Ah, well, we have reached a... mutual understanding I guess." She shrugged, unsure on how to explain their somewhat amicable relationship.

"Onii-san said your name was Itzel, yes? Well, I am Juuri and my brother over there is Haruka. Sorry if we seem... surprised. It's just that onii-san has always been a bit..."

"Cold? Cruel? Vindictive?" Itzel added, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"W-well those weren't the exact words I was thinking of, but..." Juuri trailed off, looking hesitantly towards Haruka for help.

"Why don't you tell me how you really feel?" Rido said sarcastically, eyes narrowed in contempt.

"Can you two just leave already? I promise to kill less humans and all that jazz so you don't really need to be here—"

"I would like to know more about Itzel, actually. I know I've seen her face somewhere before." Haruka interrupted, studying her face yet again.

Itzel's grin immediately faded. "Impossible. I'm a bit of a loner, you see. That's why Rido and I get along so well."

Haruka knew she was trying to hide something, but ceased from his questioning, instead, wrapping an arm around Juuri's shoulder.

"Let's go, Juuri. Rido is fine." He urged, staring imploringly into his lover's cinnamon orbs.

"But, the girl. She's obviously in danger." She whispered back, knowing fully well that Rido could still hear her.

"If you must know, I am under certain obligations to not hurt her. Besides, it wouldn't be quite as fun to tote around a dead human anyway." He jeered, purposefully giving a fanged grin.

Both siblings sighed at his antics, but continued towards the main entrance. Juuri looked back one final time before shutting the door, a deep pain in her chest at her brother's icy glare.

* * *

Once the door closed Rido fell against it, grimacing. Itzel shuffled nervously, clasping the edge of her shirt with her hands. While she felt no real danger from the pureblood, there was an obvious sadness in his eyes. It was… strange. Foreign. He had never shown a hint of weakness before.

_A monster with emotions… _She shook her head. Of course; she had forgotten her reason for believing in coexistence. _Vampires and humans share many things, including pain. Rido is no different. That is why I continue to believe we can coexist, because both races share emotions. And we are all born under the same bright stars—_

"Itzel." He said sharply, voice cutting through her musings. What his brother had said... about seeing her before. He remembered the poster in the tavern and immediately darkened. His countenance had obviously changed from one of melancholy to anger, eyes narrowed.

"Y-yes?" She replied, a shiver creeping up her spine. There was a dark undertone to his voice, one that she hadn't heard since their first meeting, when he had nearly killed her.

"_Who are you_?" His eyes were once again upon her, spell-bounding in their intensity. It was obvious that it wasn't a request.

She shook her head. "I can't tell you."

In an instant he was beside her, a pale hand pressed against her collarbone. "Tell me."

When she didn't respond Rido brought his mouth to her neck, a growl escaping his throat. "Do not make me ask again. I will force you to answer, if I must. "

His warm breath tickled her skin as he traced his fangs against the column of her neck, strengthening his threat.

Closing her eyes, she let in a shaky breath, body trembling. For the first time in two years, she said the four damnable words, "I am… a murderer."

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the shortness of this chap; next one will be longer ^^ Itzel's past will finally be revealed!

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it and remember to vote or leave a review or something XD

-Isis


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